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Healthcare systems and health professionals are facing a litany of stressors that have been compounded by the pandemic, and consequently, this has further perpetuated suboptimal mental health and burnout in nursing. The purpose of this paper is to report select findings from a larger, national study exploring gendered experiences of mental health, leave of absence (LOA), and return to work from the perspectives of nurses and key stakeholders. Given the breadth of the data, this paper will focus exclusively on the qualitative results from 53 frontline Canadian nurses who were purposively recruited for their workplace insight. This paper focuses on the substantive theme of "Breaking Point," in which nurses articulated a multiplicity of stress points at the individual, organizational, and societal levels that amplified burnout and accelerated mental health LOA from the workplace. These findings exemplify the complexities that underlie nurses' mental health and burnout and highlight the urgent need for multipronged individual, organizational, and structural interventions. Robust and timely interventions are needed to restore the health of the nursing profession and sustain its future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this research was to understand counsellors' and therapists' perceptions and experiences of working online during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Method: Five hundred and ninety clinicians, mostly UK‐based, responded to an online qualitative survey, which allowed data to be gathered from a broader range of participants than is typical for qualitative interviews or focus group studies, and provided a wide‐angle lens. The survey generated over 130,000 words, on which a five‐staged framework analysis was conducted. Seven superordinate themes were identified. Results: In this paper, three of these superordinate themes specifically addressing online therapeutic practice with individual adult clients are presented. Therapists' accounts addressed the diverse ways in which the online space changed how they thought about the therapy relationship and their interactions with clients. Respondents described instances where online therapy had been beneficial for facilitating and cultivating the therapeutic process and relationship as well as how online therapy could have a potentially disruptive impact on therapeutic practice. Implications: For practitioners who continue to deliver therapy solely online and/or offer hybrid services, this study identifies the specific knowledge and skills required for effective and safe online therapeutic work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID‐19 pandemic necessitated that speech–language therapists (SLTs) make a radical change to provide services to their clients safely via telepractice. For many practitioners, telepractice was an unfamiliar mode of practice that had to be implemented under emergency conditions. Limited literature on SLTs' experiences of implementing telepractice in the Global South during this time is available. Aims: To explore the experiences of South African SLTs (N = 45) who implemented telepractice services during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods & Procedures: SLTs across the country were invited via professional bodies to participate in an online qualitative survey distributed in 2021. Data were analysed using thematic analysis principles. Outcomes & Results: We describe participants' reports of their current telepractices, discuss their perspectives on accessibility to telepractice for SLTs, clients and caregivers, and working with specific diagnoses, and consider the support needs of SLTs to enhance telepractice services. Most participants work in private practice or school settings with primarily paediatric caseloads. They reported telepractice as a positive experience and felt it was effective, although they judged that some clients were not well served by telepractice. SLTs felt underprepared for the rapid switch to telepractice and the flexibility required, especially given the limited availability of guidelines given the pandemic crisis. Greater preparation is required for telepractice sessions and more attention needs to be paid to supporting caregiver involvement online. Conclusions & Implications: Telepractice involves various barriers and facilitators, many of which seem common across Global North and South contexts. Support is required to enhance current telepractices in terms of computer literacy, technical education, different telepractice methods and caregiver coaching. Our findings have the potential to enable the development of support, training and guidelines to improve SLTs' confidence in providing telepractice whilst delivering quality services in an accessible and safe manner. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: Many SLTs had to transition quickly to telepractice service provision during COVID‐19, with limited existing guidelines and support. Although there is some literature available on SLTs' experiences of implementing telepractice in the Global North, perspectives from the Global South during this time are limited. It is important to understand experiences, barriers and facilitators to telepractice provision to provide tailored support to practitioners. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: Telepractice provides a viable alternative to in‐person therapy for specific clients and contexts. Telepractice presents both benefits and barriers for effective clinical practice across Global North and South contexts. Greater preparation is required for telepractice sessions and more attention needs to be paid to enhancing caregiver involvement online, especially since many practitioners are likely to continue offering telepractice services post‐pandemic. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Clinicians felt underprepared for the rapid switch from service delivery mode to telepractice. Greater support, training and guidelines for students and practitioners are required to enhance current practices and ensure practitioners are equipped to provide effective telepractice in the future. In particular, support should cover technological aspects, caregiver coaching and online assessment options, especially for paediatric clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This paper discusses four main strategies for addressing nursing shortages that have been persistent, widespread and growing. Fallout from the COVID‐19 pandemic might offer valuable impetus to address this tenacious challenge. Background: Nursing shortages are common, widespread and have been persistent for most of a century. Many of the reasons behind these shortages are well known and are themselves enduring, as are the types of strategies put forward for addressing them. These strategies can generally be classified into four main categories: enhancing retention, improving recruitment, encouraging return to practice and drawing on international human resources. The COVID‐19 pandemic is the latest major threat to ensuring a sufficiently sized and skilled nursing workforce. Many nurses have succumbed to burnout as well the plethora of factors that predated the pandemic and have a negative impact on nurse wellbeing, turnover and intention to leave. Sources of evidence: This discussion paper draws on international sources of evidence. Discussion/conclusion: This paper highlights how many of the factors behind and strategies for addressing nursing shortages at the local, national and global levels are widely studied and known. A sustained combination of strategies that focus both within and beyond health and nursing, including on the broader social context, is necessary. While COVID‐19 has been extremely damaging, it might present an opportunity to make sustainable, effective reforms to address nursing shortages. Implications for policy: Knowledge users must recognise that a combination of approaches across the gamut of policies that influence nursing workforces is necessary to address nursing shortages. Attention must also focus on factors beyond nursing and healthcare if shortages are to be remedied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To effectively manage a crisis, most decisions made by governments, organizations, communities, and individuals are based on "shared situational awareness" (SSA) derived from multiple information sources. Developing SSA depends on the alignment of mental models, which "represent our shared version of truth and reality on which we can act." Social media has facilitated public sensemaking during a crisis; however, it has also encouraged mental model dissonance, resulting in the digital destruction of mental models and undermining adequate SSA. The study is concerned with the challenges of creating SSA during the COVID‐19 pandemic in Australia. This paper documents a netnography of Australian public health agencies' Facebook communication, exploring the initial impact of COVID‐19 on SSA creation. Chaos theory is used as a theoretical lens to examine information perception, meaning, and assumptions relating to SSA from pre to post‐pandemic periods. Our study highlights how the initial COVID‐19 "butterfly effect" swamped the public health communication channel, leaving little space for other important health issues. This research contributes to information systems, information science, and communications by illustrating how the emergence of a crisis impacts social media communication, the creation of SSA, and what this means for social media adoption for crisis communication purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The emergence of the COVID‐19 and the resulting global pandemic has ushered in far‐reaching changes for countries across the world, not least of which are changes to their education systems. With traditional location‐based exams no longer possible at universities, the uptake of online proctored exams (OPE) has occurred at a pace not seen prior to the pandemic. Students' experiences of online proctored exams during the pandemic are reasonably well‐understood in terms of digital access and ease of use of the technology. However, less is known about students' perceptions of digital confidence and competence to complete an online exam, both of which are important digital equity considerations. Objectives: This study investigates students' digital confidence and competence to undertake online proctored exams to determine whether issues of equity exist for students. Methods: This study reports the results of a survey (N = 761) of one university's students' experiences of end‐of‐semester online proctored exams in New Zealand. Results: Most students were positive about online exams, felt reasonably confident to complete an exam, and had the necessary digital access (i.e., devices, internet) and competence to succeed. However, digital inequalities were found between students' perceptions of digital competence based on ethnicity. While more time learning online equated to increasing self‐reported digital competence for most ethnic groups, this was not the case for Pacific learners. Takeaways: Perceptions of low digital competence can contribute to digital inequalities. Educators can support learners to develop positive perceptions of digital competence by teaching digital literacy skills. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Online proctored exams (OPE) have replaced many traditional exams because of the pandemic.Research on the use of online proctored exams during the pandemic suggests some acceptance among students.Apart from access related issues, little is known about digital inequalities associated with online exams. What this paper adds: Most participants were positive about OPE and felt reasonably confident to successfully complete them.Confident students were more likely to report that the exam software was easy to use.Perceptions of digital competence differed based on ethnicity.Marginalized groups were more likely to experience digital inequalities than other groups. Implications for practice and/or policy: Digital inequality is about more than issues of digital access (i.e., devices, internet).Provide differentiated technical support for students who express low digital competence.Teaching online exam digital literacy skills might increase perceptions of digital competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID‐19 pandemic and subsequent measures to reduce transmission risk has led to unprecedented digital transformation across health, education and social care services. This includes UK paediatric speech and language therapy (SLT), which sits at the crossroads of these services. Given the rapid onset of this pandemic‐induced digital transition, there is now a need to capture, reflect and learn from the SLT profession so that benefits can be sustained, and barriers addressed. Aims: To survey the impact of COVID‐19 remote working on UK paediatric SLTs' digital views and experiences using the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation and Behaviour (COM‐B) model. Methods & Procedures: An online survey was conducted from May to October 2020. Respondents were asked to rate their use of technology in service delivery before and during the pandemic, to select factors facilitating digital practice, and to provide open‐response aspirations for the future role of technology in paediatric SLT which were analysed thematically using the COM‐B behaviour change model. Outcomes & Results: A total of 424 UK paediatric SLTs responded to the survey. Findings indicate a marked increase in clinicians' perception of their frequency, convenience and confidence with digital practice during COVID‐19 compared with before the pandemic. Respondents identified that specialist training (27%), funding for workplace devices (22%) and supportive leadership (19%) were most likely to facilitate sustained digital practice. Clinicians hoped for a blended approach going forward with technology enhancing existing best practice. Further prominent themes included digital accessibility for all and maintaining the increased opportunity for multidisciplinary working that videoconferencing has afforded. More service‐specific aspirations were bespoke technological solutions as well as parents/carers being able to engage remotely with school‐based provisions. Conclusions & Implications: During COVID‐19, paediatric SLTs' recognition and acceptance of how technology can augment practice has accelerated, with particular value being placed on inclusivity, choice, training, resources, leadership and indication of effectiveness. These are important considerations to help guide the profession towards the long‐term digital enhancement of SLT services. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: What is already known on the subject: The COVID‐19 pandemic led to an unprecedented interest in the use of technology across SLT practice. Studies are emerging nationally and internationally to identify the digital priorities of the SLT workforce, the areas of digital SLT provision that are thriving or lacking, and the evidence to guide clinical practice and service development. What this study adds to existing knowledge: This is the first UK‐wide COVID‐19 survey solely focusing on the digital practice of paediatric SLTs. The findings provide critical insights into SLT perception of how practice has been impacted in the early stages of the COVID‐19 pandemic, including digital trends that are service, condition and demographic specific. Tools and channels required to support sustained beneficial change are also discussed. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: This paper demonstrates the potential for digital solutions to enhance SLT practice, as long as implementation is guided by clinicians' experiences and perspectives. The findings lay groundwork for service development work, such as the creation of training packages, updating of clinical guidelines and care pathways, and development of processes to ensure equitable allocation of evidence‐based resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The COVID‐19 pandemic has had an impact on all aspects of the health system. Little is known about how the activities and experiences of patient, family and caregiver partners, as a large group across a variety of settings within the health system, changed due to the substantial health system shifts catalysed by the pandemic. This paper reports on the results of a survey that included questions about this topic. Methods: Canadian patient, family and caregiver partners were invited to participate in an online anonymous survey in the Fall of 2020. A virtual snowballing approach to recruitment was used. Survey invitations were shared on social media and emailed to health system and governmental organizations with the request that they share the survey with patient partners. This paper focuses on responses to two questions related to patient partner experiences during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Results: The COVID‐19 questions were completed by 533 respondents. Over three quarters of respondents (77.9%, n = 415) indicated their patient engagement activities had been impacted by COVID‐19. The majority (62.5%, n = 230) experienced at least a temporary or partial reduction in their patient engagement activities. Some respondents did see increases in their patient engagement activities (11.4%, n = 42). Many respondents provided insights into their experience with virtual platforms for engagement (n = 194), most expressed negative or mixed experiences with this shift. Conclusions: This study provides a snapshot of Canadian patient, family and caregiver partners' perspectives on the impact of COVID‐19 on their engagement activities. Understanding how engagement unfolded during a crisis is critical for our future planning if patient engagement is to be fully integrated into the health system. Identifying how patient partners were engaged and not engaged during this time period, as well as the benefits and challenges of virtual engagement opportunities, offers instructive lessons for sustaining patient engagement, including the supports needed to engage with a more diverse set of patient, family and caregiver partners. Patient Contribution: Patient partners were important members of the Canadian Patient Partner Study research team. They were engaged from the outset, participating in all stages of the research project. Additional patient partners were engaged to develop and pilot test the survey, and all survey respondents were patient, family or caregiver partners. The manuscript is coauthored by two patient partners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Alcohol consumption increased in the early phases of the COVID‐19 pandemic in the United States. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and risky drinking are linked to harmful health effects. This paper aimed to project future health and cost impacts of shifts in alcohol consumption during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Design: An individual‐level simulation model of the long‐term drinking patterns for people with life‐time AUD was used to simulate 10 000 individuals and project model outcomes to the estimated 25.9 million current drinkers with life‐time AUD in the United States. The model considered three scenarios: (1) no change (counterfactual for comparison); (2) increased drinking levels persist for 1 year ('increase‐1') and (3) increased drinking levels persist for 5 years ('increase‐5'). Setting: United States. Participants: Current drinkers with life‐time AUD. Measurements: Life expectancy [life‐years (LYs)], quality‐adjusted life‐years (QALYs), alcohol‐related hospitalizations and associated hospitalization costs and alcohol‐related deaths, during a 5‐year period. Findings Short‐term increases in alcohol consumption (increase‐1 scenario) resulted in a loss of 79 000 [95% uncertainty interval (UI]) 26 000–201 000] LYs, a loss of 332 000 (104 000–604 000) QALYs and 295 000 (82 000–501 000) more alcohol‐related hospitalizations, costing an additional $5.4 billion ($1.5–9.3 billion) over 5 years. Hospitalizations for cirrhosis of the liver accounted for approximately $3.0 billion ($0.9–4.8 billion) in hospitalization costs, more than half the increase across all alcohol‐related conditions. Health and cost impacts were more pronounced for older age groups (51+), women and non‐Hispanic black individuals. Increasing the duration of pandemic‐driven increases in alcohol consumption in the increase‐5 scenario resulted in larger impacts. Conclusions: Simulations show that if the increase in alcohol consumption observed in the United States in the first year of the pandemic continues, alcohol‐related mortality, morbidity and associated costs will increase substantially over the next 5 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Covid‐19 pandemic has created significant challenges for the global higher education community. Understanding of students' perception has important implications for the quality of the learning process, as it affects students' engagement in learning, helps educators rethink the principles of the learning design and further improve the developed programs. Objectives: Understanding of how rapid and necessary changes of learning caused by the pandemic are related to students' intrinsic motivation and awareness. Methods: There were 832 participants in this study. Quantitative and qualitative research methods employing relevant statistical techniques were used to research students' opinions regarding the distance learning process. Results and Conclusions: Our analysis showed that first‐year students were significantly less motivated during the learning process than older students, they saw distance learning as less valuable and less interesting than the others. Our research found several positive consequences of the pandemic: working according to students' own schedule in a relaxed environment, looking at the lecture again if necessary, feeling free to ask questions and communicate with teachers and saving travel time. Implications: Teachers should have more understanding for the first‐year students who are threatened when it comes to developing motivation to learn and help them cope with learning anxieties, encourage their self‐belief and give them extra support during the learning process. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Intrinsic motivation is an important predictor of learning success, satisfaction and outcome in higher education.The coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid‐19) outbreak has rapidly shifted classrooms to the Internet and distance learning. What this paper adds: The paper provides empirical evidence on how different demographic factors can be linked to students' motivation for learning in a changed educational environment.The paper also analyse students' perceptions of distance learning in regards to the positive and negative aspects of educational environment. Implications for practice and/or policy: Previous students' online learning experiences influence positively motivation for learning in a changed educational environment.First‐year students were less motivated during distance learning than older students.Students with a higher academic performance have put more effort in distance learning than other students.Benefits of distance learning perceived by students were: (a) working by their own schedule; (b) re‐watching the lecture; (c) feeling free to ask question and (d) saving travel time.Negative traits were: (a) lack of motivation and study focus; (b) anxiety as the change was unexpected and (c) lack of social and socio‐emotional aspect of learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The coronavirus pandemic has affected education worldwide. Estonian schools moved to distance learning on March 16. Objectives: This paper outlines the stages of unexpected and temporary changes affecting different stakeholders based on activity and content of the messages in the Facebook group 'Homeschooling with technology'. Also the applicability of the concerns‐based adoption model was explored to explain these changes. Methods: The investigated timespan includes the week before the emergency situation and the weeks of the school term and school holidays during the emergency situation, with 52 days in total, divided into seven periods. The 872 messages were coded by two researchers and changes were examined. Results and Conclusions: Four stages were identified, from low exposure and involvement with the change to focusing on collaboration and skipping the consequence stage. Furthermore, the new changes in the educational system might focus people again on personal concerns. Implications: The results help capture the changes in teaching and learning situation caused by the coronavirus pandemic in order to learn from these changes and be prepared for such situations in the future. Lay Description: What is already known about this topicIn the emergency situation, even well‐experienced teachers were not sure what and how to teach.There are several models and there are different models on handling the changes in education.Concerns‐based adoption model (CBAM) looks at how change affects people.Emotions have changed from negative to neutral in social media during school closures What this paper addsPrevious studies have been based mostly on surveys, but this paper adds an in‐depth analysis of messages from social media.Four stages describing how changes affect people have identified.New changes brought back personal concerns and no impact concerns raised.CBAM model is applicable in explaining unexpected temporary changes Implications for practice and/or policyIn teacher training, curricula courses about distance learning methodologies and tools should be added.National guidelines about the management of distance learning situations should be prepared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current educational disruption caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic has fuelled a plethora of investments and the use of educational technologies for Emergency Remote Learning (ERL). Despite the significance of online learning for ERL across most educational institutions, there are wide mixed perceptions about online learning during this pandemic. This study, therefore, aims at examining public perception about online learning for ERL during COVID‐19. The study sample included 31,009 English language Tweets extracted and cleaned using Twitter API, Python libraries and NVivo, from 10 March 2020 to 25 July 2020, using keywords: COVID‐19, Corona, e‐learning, online learning, distance learning. Collected tweets were analysed using word frequencies of unigrams and bigrams, sentiment analysis, topic modelling, and sentiment labeling, cluster, and trend analysis. The results identified more positive and negative sentiments within the dataset and identified topics. Further, the identified topics which are learning support, COVID‐19, online learning, schools, distance learning, e‐learning, students, and education were clustered among each other. The number of daily COVID‐19 related cases had a weak linear relationship with the number of online learning tweets due to the low number of tweets during the vacation period from April to June 2020. The number of tweets increased during the early weeks of July 2020 as a result of the increasing number of mixed reactions to the reopening of schools. The study findings and recommendations underscore the need for educational systems, government agencies, and other stakeholders to practically implement online learning measures and strategies for ERL in the quest of reopening of schools. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: The current educational disruption caused by COVID‐19 pandemic has led to a plethora investment and the use of educational technologies for Emergency Remote Learning.There are wide mixed perceptions about online learning for Emergency Remote Learning during the current pandemic.There is little to no research conducted to examine public perception about online learning for Emergency Remote Learning during COVID‐19.The research paper's significant contribution is to investigate the opinions and perceptions of people around the world on COVID‐19 and Online Learning related issues. What this paper adds: Twitter was selected for this study due to its wide application and the ease of collecting tweets.Machine learning techniques, including world clouds, sentiment analysis, cluster analysis, correlations analysis, and trends analysis, were applied to identify useful insights..The study revealed topics like 'covid', 'learning', 'online', 'distance', 'students', 'schools' and 'pandemic' as the most mentioned words worldwide with nearly half of the public sentiments being positive (48.9%) and neutral (36%).Reopening of schools has received lots of mixed reactions and online learning appears to be a sustainable option during these unprecedented times. Implications for practice and/or policy: Theoretically, this study corresponds to literature relating to COVID‐19, online learning, and Emergency Remote Learning by exploring word frequency, discussed topic, public sentiments, relationships between themes, correlation, and trend analysis.This study recommends that educational institutions, government agencies and other stakeholders should work together to ensure an efficient and effective online learning policies, implementation, and its utilization for Emergency Remote Learning (ERL) as we fight the pandemic.Also, schools need to consider providing further support for educators and students by delivering workshop trainings on the importance and effective use of the online learning system for Emergency Remote Learning (ERL).Further, counselling services are strongly recommended to be made available online for educators and students to increase their teaching and learning morale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the mediating role of online learning motivation (OLM) in the COVID‐19 pandemic situation in Bangladesh by observing and comparing direct lectures (DL), instructor–learner interaction (ILI), learner–learner interaction (LLI), and internet self‐efficacy (ISE) as predictors of OLM and online learning satisfaction (OLS). Data were collected from 442 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 35 universities in Bangladesh. To test the hypotheses, the PLS‐SEM approach was applied using SmartPLS 3.0. The study shows a significant mediating role of OLM between the independent variables and learning satisfaction. In addition, DL, ILI, and ISE are shown to be significant predictors of student satisfaction. The findings have a number of valuable implications for education policy makers, universities, instructors, and students. Moreover, the study suggests some new research perspectives to overcome the limitations of this research and to gain precise knowledge on students' learning motivation and satisfaction regarding other online classes for different categories of students (e.g., high school and college, professional, and PhD). Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Previous studies have been designed to show direct lectures, interactions, and internet self‐efficacy as predictors of student satisfaction in pre‐ COVID‐19 situations.Most of the previous scholarly articles found a mixed result; whether a positive or negative relationship between predictors and the dependent variable. What this paper adds: This study is the first study to explore the mediating effect of online learning motivation on student's satisfaction during the COVID‐19 pandemic from the perspective of a developing country.It concluded, among othe things, that more attention should be paid to students' and instructors' trainings for online learning. Implications for practice and/or policy: Developing countries are implementing online education for the first time, so this study contributes to policymakers, faculties, and universities to design appropriate instruction methods, interactions, course, and curriculum design to cope up with the new normal.This study will contribute concern policymakers to initiate and design necessary training and development programmes to enhance online learning skills and better learning experiences/satisfaction in this pandemic situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The global COVID‐19 pandemic turned the adoption of on‐line assessment in the institutions for higher education from possibility to necessity. Thus, in the end of Fall 20/21 semester Tel Aviv University (TAU)—the largest university in Israel—designed and implemented a scalable procedure for administering proctored remote examinations. This procedure is applicable to different kinds of examinations in diverse disciplines and to disparate degree levels. Objectives: This study aims to deepen the knowledge with respect to the design and adoption of remote proctoring at an institutional level Methods: First, based on lessons learned from the first semester of COVID‐19, we describe the development and implementation of an institution‐wide protocol for conducting on‐line proctored assessment. We show the large‐scale applicability of the protocol for administering examinations via Moodle with remote proctoring via Zoom. The accurately designed procedures that included careful consideration of all parties involved—academic staff members, students, administrative staff and proctors—enabled TAU to successfully assess the learning outcomes of its 25,000 students, while maintaining validity, compatibility and reliability of the assessment. Second, we report combined data from surveys of 4380 students and 188 faculty‐members (18% and 12% response rate respectively), conducted at TAU following these examinations. Results and Conclusions: With over 90% of the students experiencing at least one, and 80% of faculty‐members administering at least one proctored remote examination, these heterogeneous sources of data allow us to investigate a unique and complementary perspective of the process. Some of the significant findings consist of the over‐all perception of the students' integrity by both groups surveyed; the discrepancy in the groups' perspectives of the adequate form of learning‐assessment—with the instructors preferring proctored examinations and the students—formative‐assessment; and the influence of the pedagogical challenges on the perception of validity that outweighed other factors, for example, the pandemic‐related stress, the on‐line assessment challenges and other. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Proctoring exams remotely is challenging, due to technical, ethical and other concerns.Proctoring can be conducted remotely by a human, record and review later technology, automated algorithms to detect atypical behaviour.Different methods for remote proctoring in higher education have been implemented on small scale. What this paper adds: Review of studies examining various facets of remote proctoring before and during COVID‐19.A protocol for remote proctoring in a large‐scale university, based on the first post COVID‐19 semester.The perspectives of students and faculty members regarding testing with remote proctoring. Implications for future practice and/or policy: The protocol can assist higher education institutions in developing their own guidelines.The implementation should take into consideration ethical norms and constitutional limitations.Unlike automated process using algorithms, remote human proctoring is not widely opposed by students.Further research comparing remotely proctored exam performance with the f2f proctoring is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic has had a profound worldwide impact on the laboratory hematology community. Nevertheless, the pace of COVID‐19 hematology‐related research has continued to accelerate and has established the role of laboratory hematology data for many purposes including disease prognosis and outcome. The purpose of this scoping review was to assess the current state of COVID‐19 laboratory hematology research. A comprehensive search of the literature published between December 1, 2019, and July 3, 2020, was performed, and we analyzed the sources, publication dates, study types, and topics of the retrieved studies. Overall, 402 studies were included in this scoping review. Approximately half of these studies (n = 202, 50.37%) originated in China. Retrospective cohort studies comprised the largest study type (n = 176, 43.89%). Prognosis/ risk factors, epidemiology, and coagulation were the most common topics. The number of studies published per day has increased through the end of May. The studies were heavily biased in favor of papers originating in China and on retrospective clinical studies with limited use of and reporting of laboratory data. Despite the major improvements in our understanding of the role of coagulation, automated hematology, and cell morphology in COVID‐19, there are gaps in the literature, including biosafety and the laboratory role in screening and prevention of COVID‐19. There is a gap in the publication of papers focused on guidelines for the laboratory. Our findings suggest that, despite the large number of publications related to laboratory data and their use in COVID‐19 disease, many areas remain unexplored or under‐reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outbreak of the COVID‐19 pandemic in late 2019 and in 2020 presented challenges to healthcare workers (HCW) around the world that were unexpected and dramatic. The relentless progress of infection, starting in China and rapidly spreading to Europe, North America and elsewhere gave more remote countries, like Australia, time to prepare but also time for unease. HCW everywhere had to readjust and change their work practices to cope. Further waves of infection and transmission with newer variants pose challenges to HCW and health systems, even after mass vaccination. Respiratory medicine HCW found themselves at the frontline, developing critical care services to support intensive care units and grappling with unanticipated concerns about safety, risk and the need to retrain. Several studies have addressed the need for rapid changes in the healthcare workforce for COVID‐19 and the impact of this preparation on HCW themselves. In this paper, we present a scoping review of the literature on preparing HCW for the pandemic, explore the Australian experience of building the respiratory workforce and propose evidence‐based recommendations to sustain this workforce in an unprecedented high‐risk environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive research on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is underway. However, there are not many studies on the use of masks, which are essential for infection prevention. This descriptive study aimed to understand the factors influencing the use of masks by Korean adults during COVID‐19. We conducted an online survey with 280 adults in South Korea between August and September 2020, analyzing the data using SPSS version 24.0. Multiple regression analyses were performed to understand the factors that influence individuals' use of masks. The participants' perceived susceptibility, perceived barriers, other people's dignity, compliance with public order, reasonable decision making, and subjective norms explained 21.6% of mask use. Mask use is expected to increase further if people perceive a personal need to wear masks, if their peers perceive the importance of mask use, and if they possess civic consciousness that considers society as a whole. This paper makes a significant contribution to the field of public health, with evidence‐based recommendations for increasing mask use, going beyond simply attributing mask use to individual preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID‐19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of a strong, effective public health nursing workforce while also requiring public health nursing faculty to adapt teaching strategies as courses transitioned online. It is essential to understand how the pandemic‐enforced transition from face‐to‐face to remote learning impacts student outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to compare student learning outcomes in a pre‐licensure public health nursing course before, during, and after the transition to remote learning. Methods: Descriptive statistics were computed for assignments, exams, and final course grades for three terms (Fall 2019, Spring 2020 and Fall 2020). Results: Analysis showed statistically significant differences between terms for assignments and exams but not the final course grade. However, these differences were driven by small standard deviations rather than differences between mean scores demonstrating that there was actual little difference in student learning outcomes across terms. Conclusions: Authors suggest strategies to support consistent academic outcomes and future research needed understand student learning outcomes during the pandemic; ultimately building the public health nursing workforce necessary to address the current and future public health crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the COVID‐19 pandemic, families experienced new challenges related to reorganizing living spaces and the need to renegotiate domestic and care roles. This paper aims to understand how Italian families have reacted to this situation with respect to psychological well‐being, the management of domestic and care activities and solidarity networks of care. The participants were 560 Italian subjects who reported having a parental role. The protocol included a measure of well‐being (the General Health Questionnaire‐12) and some questions related to the time dedicated to domestic activities or to caring for people, the perception of conflict within the family and solidarity networks of care. The data underline how mothers continued to devote more time to home and care activities than fathers, despite the presence of both partners at home during the lockdown. The results also indicate that mothers participated to a greater extent than fathers in solidarity activities, confirming that this dimension is linked to gender. Furthermore, fathers and mothers perceived a lower condition of well‐being in relation to the pre‐pandemic period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID‐19 outbreak came with an unprecedented opportunity to investigate how the new reality of social distancing and limited international travel will affect the organization of academic conferences. Objectives: Drawing on conceptualization of academic conferences as professional learning spaces, in this study, we examine the factors associated with the perceived value of purely virtual academic conferences and how such perceptions differ between participants from different research fields. The aim was to gain knowledge about factors that should be considered when designing a virtual conference. Methods: Survey data from participants of three different virtual conferences were collected (N = 311). Kendall's rank correlation and χ2‐analyses were performed. Results and Conclusion: Results show satisfaction with social interaction, the extent to which presentations met participants' topics of interest and the perceived importance of learning and getting an overview on the research topic to be related to the value rating. Researchers from different research fields differ significantly in their opinion about the most appropriate conference format regarding getting an overview on the research topic. For some researchers, virtual participation might be a valuable alternative to attending a conference in person. The study serves as a first attempt to understand how and for which target groups virtual conferences serve as a valuable learning event. Further research on this conference format is needed. Lay Description: What is already known about the topic: Prior to the pandemic only a few academic conferences were held purely virtual, thus scientific knowledge about this event format was rather scarce.Research on face‐to‐face conferences identified these events as platforms for networking and learning with a focus on social interaction.Mainly informal social interaction and networking is limited in the virtual space. What this paper adds: First insights how and for which target groups virtual conferences serve as a valuable learning event.Perceptions about the most appropriate conference format regarding certain conference aspects among researchers from different fields. Implications for practice: Formal interaction opportunities should be considered when designing a virtual conference.Virtual conferences are valuable events especially for those people, who focus on learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to the global COVID‐19 pandemic, online learning became the only way to learn during this unprecedented crisis. This study began with a simple but vital question: What factors influenced the success of online learning during the COVID‐19 pandemic with a focus on online learning self‐efficacy? Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the structural relationship among self‐efficacy (SE) in time management, SE in technology use, SE in an online learning environment, and learning engagement. Methods: The participants of the study were 1205 undergraduates who were enrolled in a residential undergraduate program in South Korea in spring semester, 2020. The online survey was administered to collect data for this research and the survey results were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Results and Conclusions: SE in technology use had a significant but negative influence on learning engagement and had a positive impact on SE in an online learning environment. SE in time management had a significant positive impact on SE in an online learning environment and learning engagement. SE in an online learning environment also significantly influenced learning engagement. Implications: SE in technology use itself did not enhance learning engagement. In addition, indirect effects of SE in technology use and SE in time management on learning engagement through SE in an online learning environment were confirmed in this study. This indicates the influential role of SE in an online learning environment on learning engagement of online learners. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: COVID‐19 forced almost all students to learn online.Time management plays a major role in the success of online learning.Technology self‐efficacy is a requirement in online learning.The learning engagement variable explains learning achievement and attitudes. What this paper adds: Self‐efficacy (SE) in time management and SE in technology use enhanced SE in an online learning environment.SE in technology use itself did not enhance learning engagement.SE in time management and in SE an online learning environment significantly influenced learning engagement.SE in an online learning environment mediated the relationship between SE in technology use and learning engagement as well as between SE in time management and learning engagement. Implications for practice and/or policy: It is important to promote students' online learning self‐efficacy to enhance learning engagement in online learning.Practitioners should be aware that SE in technology use improves learning engagement through SE in an online learning environment.SE in time management should be promoted for successful online learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Virtual reality can be a useful substitute to improve nursing education outside of the hospital setting. In the wake of COVID‐19, an opportunity to compare a virtual reality activity for nursing students in the traditional classroom and in an online environment took place. Objectives: The goal of this study was to examine the effects of incorporating a virtual reality activity into the traditional classroom and in an online environment to enhance nursing education. Methods: Fifty nursing students participated in an exploratory descriptive study. Twenty‐five students participated face‐to‐face while in the traditional classroom setting and 25‐students participated in an online environment using a communication platform. Through a virtual reality activity, nursing students successfully created a tour which demonstrated identifying infectious sites in a hospital room setting. Results and Conclusions: Results of the pre‐and post‐test showed students' positive perceptions and performances in both traditional classroom and online settings. However, the study revealed a statistical difference between the two group perceptions towards the use of the virtual reality tour creator. Nursing students who were in the traditional classroom group found that the use the virtual reality tour creator was easier. Implications: Designing a meaningful virtual reality activity has a positive impact of the student learning experience. Students may benefit from a more through orientation to the technology prior to engaging in the activity. A carefully constructed activity can enhance student learning outside of the hospital room. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Virtual reality can be applied to nursing education with a positive impact on the student learning experience.Nursing students perceived the virtual reality learning activity useful to substitute for in‐hospital training. What this paper adds?: Virtual reality learning activities can help promote nursing performance in both the traditional classroom and online settings.Students can have similar academic performance between the classroom and online modes despite having different experiences. Implications for practice and/or policy: Virtual reality integration might be implemented by pre‐training to make sure students are comfortable with the technology before jumping into course activities.The instructional design and delivery of a virtual reality learning activity greatly influenced the students' learning experiences, rather than the use of virtual reality technology itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the COVID‐19 epidemic crisis, students from higher education institutions around the world are forced to participate in comprehensive online curriculums. In such a scenario, it is worth investigating how students perceived their learning outcomes and satisfaction based on this method of teaching and learning online. This study aims to explore the role of six factors, namely, system quality, course design, learner‐learner interaction, learner‐instructor interaction, learner‐content interaction, and self‐discipline, on university students' perceived learning outcomes and their effect on student satisfaction with online curricula during the COVID‐19 epidemic. A structural equation modelling technique was used to assess survey questionnaires obtained from 457 validated students at a Public University in China. The results demonstrated that these determinants had a positive effect on satisfaction and learning outcomes, whereas learner‐instructor interaction had no significant effect. Furthermore, the strongest determinant that affected not only students' satisfaction but also their learning outcomes was the learner‐content interaction. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Online teaching can support students' learning in COVID‐19 epidemic.Various determining factors affect students' learning outcomes and satisfaction towards online learning. What this paper adds?: This study investigates six determinants on students' learning outcomes and satisfaction towards online learning.Learner‐content interaction yielded a stronger effect on university students' learning outcomes and satisfaction.Learner‐instructor interaction has no significant effect. Implications for practice and/or policy: System quality, course design, learner‐learner interaction, learner‐content interaction, and self‐discipline, had a positive impact on university students' perceived learning outcomes and satisfaction in COVID‐19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the COVID‐19 pandemic, first responders and health care workers faced elevated virus‐related risks through prolonged contacts with the public. Research suggests that these workers already experienced lower levels of psychological well‐being linked to occupational risks. Thus, the pandemic's impact might have particularly affected mental health in these groups. This paper analysed data from a large‐scale Welsh population study (N = 12,989) from June to July 2020. Levels of psychological distress were compared across various occupations, including police, fire and rescue, and NHS health care workers. Resilience was also indexed, and its role considered as a protective factor for psychological distress. Surprisingly, health care workers reported lower distress levels than the general population. Further, fire and rescue and police groups had lower distress than most groups and significantly higher resilience. Within police officers, higher resilience levels were protective for distress. Fire and rescue workers were half as likely as others to report distress, even accounting for demographic factors and resilience. The findings offer an optimistic view of psychological resilience in these critical occupations. They illustrate potential benefits to one's mental health of playing a crucial societal role during crises and reiterate the importance of enhancing resilience within groups who encounter high‐risk situations daily. Practitioner points: Our findings provide evidence that health care workers and first responders showed lower levels of psychological distress than the general population during the first period of lockdown due to the COVID‐19 pandemic in the United Kingdom. This may indicate that playing a critical role in society during an episode of crisis, and acting to help others, may be protective of one's own mental health.The research also provides an optimistic view of the psychological resilience of critical first responders and health care workers during a period early on in the COVID‐19 pandemic (June–July 2020). This highlights the benefits of fostering resilience in those working within high‐risk first responder and health care occupations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lockdown due to COVID‐19 in Italy resulted in the sudden closure of schools, with a shift from traditional teaching to the online one. Through an online questionnaire, this survey explores teachers' experience of online teaching, the level of risk factors (e.g., stress) and protective factors (e.g., locus of control) and their impact on satisfaction levels during the social distancing. One hundred seven high school teachers from Lombardy, an Italian region very affected by the COVID‐19 outbreak, participated. Results show that depression and stress are the main predictors of satisfaction levels for online teaching. In addition, coping, locus of control and self‐efficacy emerge as important protective factors. Finally, although there is great satisfaction with the online teaching experience, critical elements emerged. This study is relevant because it describes the critical elements of the online teaching experience, and identifies some protective factors and the main risk factors in teachers operating in an area strongly marked by social restrictions imposed by the pandemic. High school teachers emerge as a sub‐group of the general population with specific psychological reactions. Considering the results, it is possible to suggest providing high‐quality educational support and crisis‐psychological oriented services to teachers, and help to maintain the psychological well‐being. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: A little is currently known about online teaching experience in countries under conditions of imposed social distancing.There are no conclusive data on the risk and protective factors associated with online teaching satisfaction in an Italian region strongly affected by the COVID‐19 pandemic. What this paper adds: The current study explored online teaching experience and the relationship between online teaching satisfaction and some risk and protective factors during the COVID‐19 pandemic.Significant differences emerge on the general impression of the teaching experience, comparing males versus females.More than one third of the overall sample of high school teachers was little or not satisfied.Those with high levels of depression and stress are at risk from lower online teaching satisfaction. Implications for practice and/or policy: It is suggested to pay attention to the planning adequate and timely legislation, including assessment criteria, and high‐quality educational support, also to improve communication processes.It is also suggested to provide preventive and supportive interventions to teachers also in the form of stress management and skills life training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]